Governors cannot precipitate the fall of elected governments: Supreme Court

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that Governors seriously undermine democracy if they use their constitutional office to call for a trust vote, citing dissension within a ruling political party, and precipitate the fall of a legitimately established and functioning government...

"A Governor must be aware of the fact that his very calling for a trust vote may precipitate the loss of majority for a government..

Calling for a trust vote may itself lead to the toppling of a government Governors must not lend their offices for effectuating a particular result The Governor cannot enter into any area by which his action would precipitate the fall of a government," Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, heading a Constitution Bench, observed...

The Bench was referring to then-Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's call for a trust vote on the floor of the House, which eventually led to the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray government in 2022...

The fact that the conduct of a government has gone against the core ideology of a party is not a ground for calling of a trust vote by the Governor," Chief Justice Chandrachud noted..

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